LIFT Bible Study on Evangelism (Part III)

Begin with the song "Revelation Song"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Acts 17: 16-31)

Talk  and discuss the following:

What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

Pastor John Wertz, when visiting us on September 30, preached from this text and reminded us that in the 21st century, Christianity in America looks more like "Athens" than "Jerusalem".  We are not in "familiar" territory anymore.  We are now in a culture that we cannot assume knows about our faith and life. 

He gave us three "prescriptions" for how to be in "Athens" effectively, taken from our lesson:

1) Realize we are in Athens, i.e. name our reality and embrace it

2) Find a way to "build bridges" into this strange new land. What are the bridges we/you could build? Discuss together.

3) Begin at the beginning.  Instead of assuming others "know" the Christian story, assume that they do not.  How might this change the way we "do" evangelism effectively? 

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

LIFT Bible Study on Evangelism (Part II)

Begin with the song "Live Like That"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (John 1: 43-51)

Talk  and discuss the following:

What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

Some thoughts on how the church messed up evangelism?

“By presenting a false dichotomy between evangelism and justice.”

“By finger wagging.”

“The church has screwed up evangelism by aggressively beating people over the head with "the message” and forgetting to “love” people.  People won’t listen to people who they don’t believe love them.”

“By distorting the gospel; too much law and not enough grace.”

“Made evangelism a belief and set of rubrics rather than an action where we seek to live in Christ's likeness.”

“I think that evangelism in impoverished areas, specifically Africa, can lead to dishonest evangelism. Also, I don't think infomercial evangelism was what Jesus had in mind.”

“In trying to spread good news of great joy for all people, we've made it bad news for most people, especially people with whom Jesus would have hung out.”

“The "church" hasn't messed up evangelism, humans have. It seems that Jesus had a lot to say about the Holy Spirit, but the "church" doesn't seem to talk about the Holy Spirit very much.”

What might effective and faithful evangelism look like?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

LIFT Bible Study on Evangelism (Part I)

Begin with the song "All are Welcome"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 28: 16-20)

Talk  and discuss the following:

What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

Is this Evangelism?

Evangelism can be defined as the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations; to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

What about this?

Evangelism is not a matter of converting someone to a different belief, it is a matter of welcoming those who are isolated and in need of a community; founded on the belief that people have a need for religious community, for deep relationships, for spiritual exploration, and for social involvement.

Some Definitions of Evangelism from others?

“IMHO evangelism is not about telling folks you're right it's about providing them something they want to be a part of”

“Sharing the message and love of Christ to those beyond the household of the faith”

“I love Brian McLaren's definition about participating in God's healing of the world.”

“A lived life of engaging with folks in things that really matter where relationships are built, and love is cultivated.”

“I would define it as bringing the love and message of Christ to others genuinely.”

“Evangelism is not winning converts but announcing to the world who the true Lord of heaven and earth really is, whether they acknowledge it or not. Evangelism is telling people that they ARE saved, therefore, BE reconciled.”

“Evangelism is more relational than confrontational, more communal than solitary, and is more a beginning than an end.”

“Evangelism is bearing witness to what God has done, is doing and will do in the world and in one’s life, engaging others in Spirit-led dialogue and inviting people to faith.”

“Everything you do is evangelism.”

How would you define Evangelism?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #12 (Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard)

Begin with the song "How Great is Our God"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 20: 1-16)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  Do you empathize with the workers who were upset?  Why or why not?

3)  Consider the landowner.  Why didn't he give more to those who worked longer?  How might this relate to our lives of faith?

4)  Where do we get our ideas or what is "fair" and what is "unfair"?  Who defines "fairness"?   

5)  Does God's idea of "fairness" differ from ours?  If so, what would our world be like / look like if it modeled God's idea of fairness more fully?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #11 (Parable of the Prodigal Son/Waiting Father)

Begin with the song "Your Grace is Enough"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 15: 11-32)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  Have you ever felt like running away from it all (even faith!).  What caused that feeling?

3)  Consider the older brother. Have you ever felt "righteous indignation" toward another when they received grace that you felt was unfair?  How might this be more dangerous to faith than running away and giving up?

4)  Consider the father.  What decisions did he make out of "love" for his sons?    

5)  Consider the prodigal son.  He showed courage to face his sinfulness and mistakes.  He was surprised by grace.  When have your "faced the consequences" only to be surprised by grace? How did this change you?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #10 (Parable of the Talents)

Begin with the song "Here I Am, Lord"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 25: 14-30)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  What are your talents? Don't be shy.  God gave them to you so claim them!

3)  Consider when and how you "risked" your talents for the Lord?  What is the difference between a "good risk" and a "bad risk"?

4)  What do you believe God expects from us and our talents?   

5)  Why might God be frustrated with one who buried their treasure? What might this say to us about discipleship?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #9 (Parable of the Unforgiving Servant)

Begin with the song "Ocean Floor"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 18: 21-35)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  Consider and share a story of forgiveness, either when you received forgiveness or when you offered forgiveness?

3)  Why do you believe it is hard to offer forgiveness to others?  Why do you believe it is hard to offer forgiveness to yourself?

4)  Why do you believe it is hard to ask for forgiveness?   

5)  There is great power in forgiveness.  How might your family, community, congregation, or even the world be better if there was more forgiveness?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #8 (Parable of the Rich Fool)

Begin with the song "Lay Up Your Treasures in Heaven"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 12: 16-21)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  What do your worry about the most?  What is the source of this worry?

3)  How does worry impact our relationship with God? Give examples.  

4)  How does your faith affect your financial decisions? Give an example.

5)  How can we prepare for the future and still trust in God? Discuss how people of faith can do this well.

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #7 (Parable of the Tares)

Begin with the song "Change My Heart, O God"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 13: 24-30)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  What are the "weeds" in your life right now? How are they affecting the "wheat" in your life?

3)  Who are the "weeds" in your life? How are they affecting your ability to live your life of faith?  

4)  Why would Jesus say to allow the weeds and the wheat to live together?  How might this teach us something about how we grow in faith and discipleship?

5)  Do you find assurance in the promise that the weeds will one day be separated from the wheat?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #6 (Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl)

Begin with the song "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 13: 44-46)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  Have you ever desired something enough to consider giving up everything for it? If so, how do you feel about it now? 

3)  What does it mean to you to know that you are "precious" in the sight of the Lord?  What are your "precious" qualities?   

4)  Why would Jesus give up everything for you and your salvation? What might this say about Jesus?

5)  How could you thank Jesus in your life for his gift of grace?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #5 (Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector)

Begin with the song "Just As I Am"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 18: 9-14)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  Consider a time you felt "better than" someone else.  It's human, we all do it.  Still, try to consider who it is that you may more often than not feel some superiority to.  Why do you believe that is?

3)  The prayer of the tax collector is so genuine.  Have you ever prayed with such heartfelt emotion? When? Why? What may have contributed to the tax collector praying so powerfully?  

4)  Discuss the following quote from Mother Theresa, "You never know Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you've got."  

5)  Where do you do your most honest and genuine praying?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #4 (Parable of the Unjust Judge)

Begin with the song "Great is the Lord"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 18: 1-8)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  When a rotten person does the right thing, how do you feel?  Have you ever been the "rotten person" from another's perspective?  If so, have you tried to do right by them?

3)  Have you ever gone to God over and over again with the same request?  How did you feel doing that?  Did you receive the answer you were hoping for? If so, discuss what that felt like.  If not, discuss how you made peace with it (if you indeed have done so).

4)  How would you describe "God's justice?"  

5)  Where do you see "injustice" in our world?  What can you do about it?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #3 (Parable of Two Builders and Two Foundations)

Begin with the song "How Firm a Foundation"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 6: 46-49)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  You're not literally building a house, so what might Jesus be talking about here for our lives of faith?

3)  Consider and reflect upon a specific "floodwater" that has broken against your life.  Was the response more like "standing firm" or more like "crumbling" or perhaps a little of both?  What contributed to your or others reaction?

4)  What might it mean to "lay a foundation upon solid rock?"

5)  What faith practices can help us to build on "solid rock?"  

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #2 (Parables of the Lost)

Begin with the song "Amazing Grace"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Luke 15: 1-10)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2)  In what ways have your felt that God pursued you in your life? How did you know that Jesus was pursuing you?

3)  Why does Jesus compare us to sheep? How do you feel about that? Why might it be a good analogy for people of faith?

4)  Do the actions of the shepherd, leaving the 99 to find the one, or the woman, when upon finding her coin, gathers her friends and neighbors for party, seem a bit ridiculous to you?  What might this say about God and his love for us in Christ?

5)  When did you last experience and feel joy?  Do you have enough joy in your life? If people of faith were the most joyous people of all, how might that effect others in our world? 

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Parables of Jesus Study Guide #1 (Parable of the Sower / Soils)

Begin with the song "Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil"

Share  your Highs and Lows for the week or since your last meeting

Read  the Lesson (Matthew 13: 1-23)

Talk  and discuss among the following questions:

1) What image / person / situation stood out to you in the story and why? What did it make you feel or understand about God?

2) What is required to keep soil healthy? What can keep your relationship with Christ healthy?

3)  Think about the seeds that fall among the weeds.  What are the "weeds" in your life? What can you do to help remove the weeds?

4)  Look again at the different soils.  Consider your own relationship with Christ.  Being transparent with God, what kind of soil do you feel like today? Over the last year?

5)  What is one small thing (or big thing) that you can do today/this week/this month/this year to get healthier soil in your life?  What commitment are you willing to take today?

Pray  with and for each other (you can use the Lord's Prayer or sing the Doxology)

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each other's forehead and saying "The Lord Bless You and Keep You!"

Summer LIFT Small Group Study (The Parables of Jesus)

You are invited to join us this summer for a a time of fellowship and learning in our LIFT small group ministry.

LIFT stands for Living in Faith Together and we are looking to offer this time during the summer as a way to connect and stay connected to your Bethel friends and even with some new people as well.

If you have not already done so, you can sign up online. 

We hope you will take time to participate!

Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Dave

2018 LIFT Lenten Series (Week 3: March 12-18)

Throughout our sessions of LIFT, we will be using our Faith 5 model of discipleship:  Share, Read, Talk, Pray, and Bless.

Share Highs and Lows for the week, day, month (whatever you choose)

Read our weekly scripture

  Jeremiah 31: 31-34

 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband,^* says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. 

Talk about the scripture and the discussion questions below

1) What about the scripture or reading captured your imagination this week? 

2) What is the "new" thing that needs to happen in your life of faith today? This week? 

3) Remember a time when God did not abandon you and you felt God's presence?

Pray for and with each other (or share the Lord's Prayer together)

Bless each other with a sign of the cross saying "God loves you and so do I"

2018 LIFT Lenten Series (Week 2: March 5-11)

Throughout our sessions of LIFT, we will be using our Faith 5 model of discipleship:  Share, Read, Talk, Pray, and Bless.

Share Highs and Lows for the week, day, month (whatever you choose)

Read our weekly scripture

  John 3:16-17

  For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him will 
  not perish but have eternal life. Indeed, the son did not come into the world to condemn 
  the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Talk about the scripture and the discussion questions below

1) What about the scripture or reading captured your imagination this week? 

2) John 3:16 is one of the most famous scriptures.  What does it mean to you? Have your ever tried to memorize it? Could you?

3) John 3:17 is not as famous but perhaps should be.  Talk about this reading and what it says about God.  Can you try to memorize it as well?

Pray for and with each other (or share the Lord's Prayer together)

Bless each other with a sign of the cross saying "God loves you and so do I"

2018 LIFT Lenten Series - (Week 1: February 25-March 4)

Throughout our sessions of LIFT, we will be using our Faith 5 model of discipleship:  Share, Read, Talk, Pray, and Bless.

Share Highs and Lows for the week, day, month (whatever you choose)

Read our weekly scripture

  Philippians 4

  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Let your gentleness be known to 
  everyone.  Let your gentleness be known to everyone.  The Lord is near.  Do not worry  
  about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your  
  requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all    
  understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Talk about the scripture and the discussion questions below

1) What about the scripture or reading captured your imagination this week? 

2) What causes you to "worry"?  Why? How do you ask God to help you?

3) What "practices" can help us find Jesus' strength in our lives?

Pray for and with each other (or share the Lord's Prayer together)

Bless each other with a sign of the cross saying "God loves you and so do I"